Florida attracts a lot of retirees. They come here for the weather, no State income tax and low property taxes compared to the North East. We both have lived in Florida most of our lives. My wife was born in Miami. Where we live in Central Florida, the cost of living is much lower than in the big cities. I hate waiting an hour for a seat in a restaurant, so we like it.
Not to totally derail the thread but let me ask you this Phlorida Fill: The recurrent, ever-increasing-in-terms-of-destructiveness-and-frequency HURRICANES that plague the entire state each year...isn't this a HUGE problem for elderly retirees? I mean, thinking about older, frail, poor health seniors having to pack up and skedaddle in a very short time, fight with and cope with traveling to WHO-KNOWS-WHERE-FOR-WHO-KNOWS-HOW-LONG, all the while maintaining a healthy balance of eating properly, resting properly and receiving medical care and prescriptions as required....well let's just say it's daunting if not scary and anxiety inducing.
I would never "retire" to Phlorida....the low taxes may seem attractive, but not if or when you just might need some service or assistance that all other U.S. States provide that is paltry, sub-standard or non-existent in Phlorida (like....HEALTHCARE, a VITAL consideration for all people but especially so for senior citizens! Florida consistently ranks in the lower portions of nearly all metrics and surveys for medical care quality....there is a HUGE downside to states with seemingly "low taxes")
We have never seen so many churches on the drive after we left the expressway as we saw in such a confined area. Lots of run down houses but most of the churches were in good shape. Wonder where they get enough support from the sparse communities.
Not to totally derail the thread but let me ask you this Phlorida Fill: The recurrent, ever-increasing-in-terms-of-destructiveness-and-frequency HURRICANES that plague the entire state each year...isn't this a HUGE problem for elderly retirees? I mean, thinking about older, frail, poor health seniors having to pack up and skedaddle in a very short time, fight with and cope with traveling to WHO-KNOWS-WHERE-FOR-WHO-KNOWS-HOW-LONG, all the while maintaining a healthy balance of eating properly, resting properly and receiving medical care and prescriptions as required....well let's just say it's daunting if not scary and anxiety inducing.
I have lived in Florida all my life and have been through many hurricanes. The major danger of hurricanes is tidal surge. If you don't live on the coast, this doesn't affect you. If you build a house near the ocean, you should know what to expect. Don't go into a hospital or nursing home that could flood. Tornadoes can happen anywhere in the country. In 71 years the only damage we have ever had from a hurricane were from fallen trees. The area that just got hit is on the Gulf of Mexico. Hardly anyone lives there because it's prone to hurricanes. You have a much better chance of getting hit with a hurricane on the gulf than 100 miles inland in Central Florida. Where can you live without any natural dangers? Fires,tornadoes, earth quakes, volcanoes, Zombie Apocalypse.
I would never "retire" to Phlorida....the low taxes may seem attractive, but not if or when you just might need some service or assistance that all other U.S. States provide that is paltry, sub-standard or non-existent in Phlorida (like....HEALTHCARE, a VITAL consideration for all people but especially so for senior citizens! Florida consistently ranks in the lower portions of nearly all metrics and surveys for medical care quality....there is a HUGE downside to states with seemingly "low taxes")
I do not know what's so great about health care in high tax states. Is it free?
Our healthcare is great. We have Medicare and we pay for a supplement that picks up all extra changes. We can go to any doctor or specialist whenever we want where ever we want. My wife recently spent a week in a hospital with a private room. She had the best doctors and surgeons and three months worth of physical therapy. It cost us nothing out of pocket.
If great health care is giving everyone free coverage that we pay for, I guess you are right. The same thing is true about free college tuition. If you want to live in a State where they tax you to death so everyone gets free stuff, stay where you are.
The only thing I don't like about where I live are the winters. Central New jersey shore. Not they are brutal, just a pain in the ass. Have great golf courses, parks, beaches etc. Schools are very good as is health care. But of course everything is expensive. I need to go somewhere warm for a month or two in the winter.
I lost a vacation home to Hurricane Katrina, but it was fully covered (although I had to fight with the insurance company.) We re-built in the same place two years later. A few more flood prevention construction details but, yes, we re-built on the same lot. As Phil wrote, disasters happen everywhere. I am not going to refuse to go to California because of mudslides or wildfires. Know the risks, have adequate insurance, be prepared, and then go on living your life.
I met an older man whose name I believe is Otis, about 2002. He's in his 80s and he and his wife spent two months in Laughlin every winter. They literally moved between three casinos and didn't spend a dime on rooms. His wife passed away a few years ago and he missed one season but is back to his old routine. He has about a gazzilion dollars in food comps at Edgewater, but still orders one last soda at the BJ table before we go to Hickorys for dinner. He brings it in and gets free refills, saving himself $2.50 or so.
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